Introducing Assistant Teaching Professor Stephanie Wong-Noonan

The department is pleased to welcome Stephanie Wong-Noonan, assistant teaching professor in biological sciences. Wong-Noonan will be teaching Modern Biology and Professional Issues in Computational Biology this fall and spring, as well as Applied Cell and Molecular Biology this fall. To introduce herself to the department, Wong-Noonan graciously answered a short Q&A about her background and specific interests in teaching and biological sciences:

Tell us a little bit about your educational background and/or what got you interested in biological sciences.
I did my undergraduate degree in biological engineering at Cornell and my doctorate in biomedical engineering here at CMU. I've always loved biology. My parents both run biological research labs, so I grew up in this world of studying biology, seeing what we can learn from biology, and figuring out how we can improve the world with this knowledge.

What aspects of biological sciences and computational biology are most interesting to you?
There are so many aspects that I find interesting, but I think my favorite has to be how what we learn about biology can be used to impact human health. As technologies improve, we are able to learn more information at a faster rate than ever before. This knowledge has led to many new therapies for all types of diseases, and I'm excited to see what new medical breakthroughs are on the horizon that stem from our understanding of biology.

What classes are you teaching this fall, and which are you the most excited about?
I'm teaching 3 courses this fall: Modern Biology, Applied Cell and Molecular Biology, as well as Professional Issues in Computational Biology. I don't know if I am any more or less excited about any of the classes. I'm particularly fond of teaching and talking about biology, so if I had to pick I'd say the two biology courses are probably the most exciting for me.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not on campus?
While not on campus I enjoy cooking and baking and hanging with my two kitties, Thunder Paws and Tux. I also love playing volleyball both indoors and outdoors, and I'm part of an Olympic weight lifting club.